I’ve written on Psalm 15 before. The psalm presents God’s perfection of holiness as the standard for those who would “dwell on [God’s] holy hill.” In my view, it is intended to cause us to long for Christ, who fulfills the righteous requirements of the law, enabling us to to do that very thing…dwell with God forever.
Yet, God’s perfect standard is still to be our great desire and pursuit as we long not only to have more of Christ, but to be more like Christ. One phrase stands out to me in the psalm. In answer to the opening question (“O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?”), the psalmist replies, “He who…speaks truth in his heart.”
What a peculiar idea! Speaking truth, not with the mouth, but in the heart. The “heart” in the Bible is a much broader concept than in the modern West. It is not merely the seat of the emotions, but the domain of our thoughts and motives (Gen 6:5, Matt 9:4), the location of our conscience (Rom 2:15), the source of our will and desires (Mark 3:5, Rom 1:24). Your heart is the essential you.
How does one speak truth in the heart? Given what the Word says about the functions of the heart, we might surmise that to speak the truth in the heart is to think true thoughts, act on true motives, have consciences informed by the truth, to be guided by desires set on true things rather than worldly lies.
For my thoughts to be governed by truth would be for me to believe the best about people according to 1 Cor 13:7, unless I know otherwise. It would be for me to refuse to have imaginary conversations with that person I’m angry with since every word I imagine coming from them is based upon assumptions about them and not truth. It would be to have every burning worry in my life constantly doused with a fire hose of thoughts about the existence, character, track record, and promises of my God.
For my motives to be governed by truth… Gen 6:5 speaks of the intentions of the thoughts of the heart. Motives/intentions/purposes are behind our thoughts and actions. If I am believing the worst about a person, I should ask myself, “what is my sinful heart claiming to be true in order to motivate this?” (Answer: “She just hates me.”) What is actually true? (“I don’t know if she hates me because I haven’t talked to her about it.”) If I snap at my loved one, what was I believing in the moment—what was my heart claiming to be true?—that led me to do so? (Answer: “I deserve more respect than this!”) What is actually true? (“I deserve hell!”) When we discover our thoughts and/or actions to be errant, we should interrogate them regarding their implicit truth claims.
For my conscience to be governed by the truth is for it actually to reflect the revealed will of God. Does my conscience condemn or justify me (Rom 2:15) based upon what is actually true or based upon my own preferences, traditions, or misunderstandings? I should recognize that my conscience can be seared (1 Tim 4:2). Going back to my motive…do I appeal to an errant conscience to justify something I suspect is wrong, but really, really want to be right?
For my will/desires to be governed by the truth would be for my wants to be based upon what is true, not what is false. That is, I will not chase false gods since the truth is that they cannot satisfy but only bring heartache (Psa 16:4). I will kill ungodly desires, knowing the truth that they wage war against my soul (1 Pet 2:11). I will pursue delight in God, knowing the truth that He is the source of pure joy (Psa 16:10-11; 37:4). If I find myself desiring ungodly things, I’ll question what lies are leading me to do so.
What would it require to grow in our speaking the truth in our hearts?
First, consistent, dedicated, deep time in the Word, burying its truths in our hearts, allowing it to correct our thinking, allowing it to shape how we view all things.
Second, intentional moment-by-moment application. Our time in the Word cannot be thought to end as we close our Bibles. Rather, we must take it with us at the top of our minds, seeking to be like Christ in all things.
Remember, Christ exemplified this standard of holiness on our behalf. Now, He gives us the power to grow in His likeness. Let us consider these things and pursue them out of love for Him.
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